Mechanical tooth brush



Dec. 26, 1939.

M, scHLoss MECHANICAL TOOTH BRUSH Filed Dec. 3o, 1938 INVENTOR v BY M JD.

Patented Deazs, 1939 i PATENT OFFICE l 2,184,850 lunclriuvrcal.l '.roo'rn BRUSH Morris Schloss, New York, N.r Y. Appuclatn December so, 193s, serial No. 248,406

sv claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a mechanical tooth brush.

The invention has for an object the construc- 1' tion of a mechanical tooth brush which is characterized by a tubular handle, a shaft rotative therethrough and adapted to be manually turned,

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bristles, and a novel arrangement by which the bristles are caused to vibrate laterally during the turning of said shaft.

Still further the invention contemplates the provision of a, guardA mounted upon one end of the handle, the arrangement of iiexible elements mounted on the guard and supporting bristles, and an arrangement whereby a cam on the shaft is adapted to vibrate the flexible elements to vibrate the bristles.

Still furtherithe invention proposes the provision of a novel massaging element operable by the rotation ofl the previously mentioned shaft.

Another one of the objects of this invention resides in the tooth brush being provided with jaw elements adapted to be vibrated laterally to vibrate bristles mounted thereon.

For further comprehension of the-invention, and of the objectsland advantages thereof, referencewill be had tothe following description and accompanyingdrawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure: A

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mechanical tooth brush constructed according to Athis inven- Fig. 6 is a perspective lview of another mechana ical tooth brush embodying another form of this invention.

Fig. '7 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line I-I of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is aplan view of a tooth brush constructed according to a still further modied form of this invention.

Fig. 9 is an end elevational view of Fig. 8 looking in the direction of the line 9 9 thereof.

handle III. A shaft II is rotatively mounted through said handle and is providedI with a crank I2 vat one end by which it may be turned. A guard I3 is mounted on the other end of the handle. A pair of exible elements Il (see Fig. 3) is mounted on the longitudinal edges of the guard I3 and extends along the sides of the projecting portion Ilof the shaft Il. Bristles I5 are mounted along the edges of the exible elements I4. i Cam elementsv I6 are formed or mounted upon the shaft portion Ill and are adapted to engage the flexible elements I4 during rotation of the shaft for vibrating the bristles laterally.

An end lug' I'I is formed on the free end of the guard I3. The outer end I-Ib of the shaft is rotatively supported in the lug I1. A massaging element I8 is mounted on' this projecting end of the `shaft and comprises a mass of rubber. This massaging element is adapted to be engaged against ones teeth or gums and the shaft rotated for producing a massaging action.

The guard I3 is of substantially U-shape in transverse cross section (see Fig. 3) and the ilexible elements I4 are in the form of vflat rubber strips mounted edgewise on the edge portions of the guard. 'I'he cams I6 are arranged at spaced positions along the shaft. portion IIa so as to engage spaced .areas of the exible elements I4. The shaft has sufficient clearance longitudinally so. that it may be reciprocated longitudinally whileit is being rotated. 'I'his motion will be transferred by the cams I6 to cause additional massaging action by the bristles I5.

In Figs. 4 and 5 another form of the invention is disclosed in which the tooth brush includes a tubular handle through which a shaft 2| is rotatively mounted. This shaft is provided with a crank 22 by which it `may be manually turned.

, A guard 23 projects from'the end of the tubular member 20 which is remote from the crank 22. o

i extends between rows of bristles 26 mounted on the top of the guard. The shaft 2| has an outer projecting end 2| a which is rotatively supported in the lug 2l. A massaging member 21 is mounted on the end 2|.

The arrangement is such that when the shaft 2| is rotated the cam 25 which is in the shape of a at broad element, will periodically flex the bristles 26 laterally (as illustrated in Fig. 5) and thev resiliency of the bristles will return them to their original positions. 'I'hus a lateral vibration of the bristles is obtained. This arrangement may also be used in connection with the present tooth brush constructions.

In Figs. 6 and 7 another form of the invention is illustrated in which the mechanical tooth brush has a tubular handle 30 through which a shaft 3| is rotatively mounted.

A crank 32 is mounted at one end of the-shaft by which it may be turned. A massaging element 33 is mounted on the other end of the shaft. Bristles 34 are arranged along one side of the tubular handle 30. A cavity 35 is formed in one end of the tubular handle. A gear 36 is mounted on the shaft 3| within this cavity and meshes with a gear 31 rotatively supported through the side Wall of the handle. A massaging element 38 is mounted coaxial upon the gear 31. Another massaging element 33 is mounted on the end of the shaft 3|. 'I'he massaging elements 38 and 33 are at right angles to each other. The element 33 may be used by itself. The element 38 may be used in conjunction with the bristles 34, that is, while one rubs the teeth with the bristles the massaging element 38 may be operating.

In Figs. 8-10 inclusive another form of the'invention has been disclosed in which there is a brush having a pair of adjacent jaws 40 and 4| pivotally connected by a pintle 42. These jaws are provided with extensions 4lla and 4|a on the opposite sides of the pivot 42. These extensions are urged apart by a spring 43 which has its ends engaging the extensions and which is mounted on the pintle 42. Along one side of the jaws 40 and 4| there are rows of bristles 44, and along the other side they arefprovided with massaging rubber sheets 44'. The jaws are limited in their separating ability by a strip 45 which is xedly mounted by a fastening element 46 to one of the jaw extensions. The other jaw extension is provided with a pin 43 engaging a restricted slot 48 in the strip 45.

The extensions 4|]8L and 4|a may be alternately pressed together and released for @causing the jaws 40 and 4| to move apart and together. During this action the bristles 44 may be engaged against the teeth. The bristles will be moving through a lateral path.

In Fig. 11 still another form of the invention has been disclosed in which the mechanical tooth brush has a tubular handle 5U through which a shaft 5| is rotatively mounted. A crank 52 is mounted on one end of the shaft. The other end of the shaft is provided with a strip 53 which is square in transverse cross section. This strip is provided with a plurality of bristles 52 on the four sides thereof. The shaft 5| has an end 53 which engages through a lug 54 upon an end of a guard element 55 which is mounted on the tubular handle, 50. The brush may be held by the handle, the crank 52 rotated, and the bristles 52' engaged against the teeth. The guard 55 will protect the tongue and the lips.

It is to be understood that the handle and the brush supporting members may be of any suitable material such as rubber, composition, etc., and in any desired color combinations.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is .to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope oi' the invention as dened in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is':

1. A mechanical tooth brush, comprising a tubular handle, a shaft rotatively mounted through said handle and having a crank at its outer end for manual turning, a guard mounted on the end of said handle remote from said crank, a pair of exible elements mounted on said guard and extending along the sides of said shaft, bristles mounted on saidy flexible elemerits, and a cam on said shaft and vengaging said flexible elements for vibrating said bristles when the shaft is turned.

'2. A mechanical tooth brush, 'comprising a tubular handle, a shaft rotatively mounted throughsaid handle and having a crank at its outer end -for manual turning, a guard mounted on the end of said handle remote from said crank, a pair of exible elements mounted on said guard and extending along the sides of said shaft, bristles mounted on said flexible elements, and a cam on said shaft and engaging said flexible elements for vibrating said bristles when the shaft is turned, said guard being provided with a lug at its extended end, and said shaft being supported in said lug.

3. A'mechanical tooth brush, comprising a tubular handle, a shaft rotatively' mounted through said handle and having a crank at its outer end forr manual turning, a guard mounted on the end of said handle remote from said crank, a pair of flexible elements mounted on said guard and extending along the sides of said shaft, bristles mounted on said flexible elements, and a cam on said shaft and engaging said flex` ible elements f0r vibrating said bristles when the shaft is turned, said guard being of U-shape in transverse cross section, and s'aid flexible elements comprising strips of rubber mounted along the edges of the guard.

4. A mechanical tooth brush, comprising a tubular handle, a shaft rotatively mounted through said handle' and having a crank at `its outer end for manual turning, a guard mounted on the end of said handle remote from said crank, a pair of exible elements mounted on said guard and extending along the sides of said shaft, bristles mounted on said flexible elements, and a cam on said shaft and engaging said flexible elements for vibrating said bristles when the shaft is turned, said 'guard being U-shaped in transverse cross section, and said flexible elements comprising strips of rubber mounted along the edges of the guard, said cam comprising a plurality of cam elements spaced along the said shaft, and said shaft being longitudinally movable.

5. In a mechanical tooth brush, comprising a tubular handle, a shaft rotatively mounted through said handle and having a crank at its outer end for manual turning, a guard mounted on the end of s'aid handle remote from the crank, lines of bristles mounted on said guard, and a cam mounted on said shaft and engageable against said bristles for flexing them outwards and releasing them alternately during the rotation of the shaft.

6. A mechanical tooth brush, comprising a tubular handle, a shaft rotatively extended. through said handle, a crank mounted on the outer end of said shaft for manual turning, a guard mounted on the end of said handle remote from said crank, a cam extending parallel to said guard and mounted on the end of said shaft remote from said crank to be turned thereby and parallel lines of bristle means mounted on said guard and having portions disposed in the path of said cam and on opposite sides thereof to be vibrated by said cam as said cam is turned.

MORRIS SCHLOSS. 

